Armagh Senior Club Football Championship final: Crossmaglen Rangers 2-18 Ballymacnab Round Towers 2-9
From Andy Watters at the Athletic Grounds
TROT out all the clichés you like about when the going gets tough and how the darkest hour is just before the dawn; they all apply to this topsy-turvy Orchard county final.
With just over 20 minutes to go, Ballymacnab full-forward Jack Grugan, looking nailed-on for man of the match, brought his individual tally to 1-5 with a goal and a point in succession.
Those scores sent the underdogs 2-7 to 0-9 ahead and to within touching distance of a first senior title but 10 giddy minutes later Crossmaglen were cantering to victory after a truly remarkable turnaround.
The south Armagh aristocrats hit 1-9 on-the-trot in a withering display of attacking football that simply blew their opponents away and meant the Gerry Fegan Cup returned to familiar surroundings last night.
“We got ourselves into a good position early in the second half but we didn’t push on,” said Ballymacnab manager Bernie Murray.
“Games are there to be won and it’s disappointing for the lads. In fairness, Cross were very good in that period but we were turned over, we lost our way and we lost battles around the field. Cross stepped up their game and we didn’t respond. They are a top team and obviously they’re going to do well in Ulster, we wish them all the best.”
Next up for Crossmaglen is a provincial quarter-final against Monaghan champions Clontibret, managed by their own John McEntee. Their manager Kieran Donnelly says improvement will be required to win that game.
“We played none (in the first half) and that’s with total respect to Ballymcnab,” said Donnelly.
“They put pressure on us and we said at half-time that we were doing things we hadn’t been doing, we weren’t working to our own system and playing to our strengths.”
He added: “I think the players showed serious character, young and old, they realised that their title was on the line and if they didn’t wake-up and start to get going we were in trouble. They grabbed the reins and they pushed on.”
It was an entertaining game of attacking football unobtrusively officiated by referee Jake Magill and, from the off, both sides kicked the ball long and accurately towards their potent full-forward lines.
Cross led 0-4 to 0-3 when Jack Grugan drifted into space on the right wing and hammered a pin-point, diagonal ball towards the far post. Gavin McParland grabbed it with breathtaking skill and shot past Tiernan McConville into the far corner. It was a superb score and Ballymacnab gained massive confidence from it.
Jack Grugan added two more points and brother Rory, dropping deep to start attacks, landed a free. Meanwhile, with Cian McConville well shackled by James Gray (a junior championship winner 20 years previously) and sweeper Michael Beagan, Cross struggled to find rhythm.
They stayed in touch with a Rian O’Neill free and a McConville point but trailed 1-6 to 0-6 at the break.
Jack Grugan widened the gap to four early in the second half and, although Cross hit back with three points – from Rian O’Neill and a Stephen Morris double – the Round Towers replied emphatically with the Grugan brothers combining for their second goal.
Rory spotted brother Jack one-on-one with Rico Kelly and he pumped the ball in long and high. The Ballymacnab full-forward out-jumped his marker and goalkeeper Tiarnan McConville and the ball bobbled into the Crossmaglen net. Another Jack Grugan point left it 2-8 to 0-9 and Ballymacnab, in their third senior final and striving for a first win, were firmly in the driving seat.
But when the going gets tough…
Crossmaglen raced through the gears. Rian O’Neill, Morris and Alan Farrelly began to dominate in midfield with superb catching and ferocious tackling and, after a brace of Oisin O’Neill frees, Ballymacnab could not get out of their own half.
Points from Paul Hughes, Oisin O’Neill and Farrelly levelled it and Callum Cumiskey punched the air in delight after he’d raced through from defence to send the men in black and amber 0-15 to 2-8 ahead by the 45th minute.
With the Ballymacnab defence reeling under the pressure of wave after wave of attacks, the scores kept coming. Garvan Carragher’s turnover tackle paved the way for another point from corner-back Hughes, then impact sub Kyle Carragher crossed for Mel Boyce to fist over via the top of the crossbar.
Cumiskey’s second extended the lead to four and Ballymacnab hearts must have sunk when they saw Tony Kernan coming on to help see Cross home.
He combined with another old hand, Carragher, to create a chance for Colin O’Connor, one of the new kids on the Cross block, who slotted a neat finish past Conor McGivern to put the result beyond doubt.
There was still time for former Armagh star Kernan to set up Oisin O’Neill for a second goal and Aaron Kernan climbed the steps of the stand to accept his club’s 45th title after Crossmaglen had run out nine-point winners.
It was tough on Ballymacnab who had contributed so much to a memorable game. The Round Towers kicked the hornet’s nest and they’re not the first team to struggle with the consequences.
Ballymacnab: C McGivern; C Loughran, R Kennedy, S Lynch; M Beagan, R Gribben, J Gray; C Gribben, P Gribben; P Meegan (0-1), B McCone, O McGivern; R Grugan (0-2), J Grugan (1-6, 0-3 frees), G McParland (1-0)
Subs: R Watters for O McGivern (45), N McKee for Meegan (53)
Yellow cards: R Grugan (27), McParland (60)
Crossmaglen: T McConville; P Hughes, R Kelly, C Crowley; A Kernan, C Cumiskey (0-2), G Carragher; S Morris (0-2), A Farrelly (0-1); J McKeever, O O’Neill (1-5, 0-3 frees), C O’Connor (1-1); M Boyce (0-1); R O’Neill (0-2, 0-1 free), C McConville (0-2, 0-1 free)
Subs: K Carragher for McKeever (35), T Kernan for Boyce (49), P Studdard for O’Connor (56), S Finnegan for Carragher (60), J Hanratty for Morris (60)
Yellow card: Crowley (60)
Referee: J Magill (Poyntzpass)
